Bannings/Suspensions????
 

I have seen implied but have myself read no evidence that Randy has been banning/suspending posters. Just wondering if this is true and if so, who, how long and for which specific transgressions.

I will claim that I only care so that I can know for myself exactly where the line is, but I also have a morbid curiosity over the issue.

The news is true and has been for some time, though I've tried to be professional about it and not broadcast individual names and actions. There have been several posts lately that seem to indicate this is fairly unknown and that I am not doing anything. Factly not true. There are currently 5 members serving 'timeouts' from FlyerTalk - where their user names are disabled. There have been 3 other members who have served their timeouts over the last month. Actions taken have been the result of the use of inapropriate language and flaming. These two items are the focus of our efforts to moderate in the background without anyone feeling overshadowed. As in sports, anyone who flames and flames back is subject to a possible timeout. The first timeout is for one week. The second time out is for one month and there is no third timeout. All who have served timeouts so far (except for one person) have been more than reasonable of the penalty and have told me they respect the decisions and actions.

I am preparing a "State of the Union" address to all members alerting them to formal actions that can be taken by FlyerTalk, and that should be emailed to all current members shortly.

It is not my goal to become a firmly entrenched police person on this board. However, I am concerned that some members have not been able to stay on topic and frankly, I enjoy the information far too much to allow this to be spoiled for the many who do continue to enjoy the contributions and takeaways.

I have also spent the last month addressing the issue of multiple user names. Because of the large number of members that this effects, it will take some time to resolve, but it is being addressed (some 900+ members with roughly 2814 total multiple user names).

However, I will not name those being addressed for any action and why actions were taken and prefer to operate in the background. Why? It's simple. There are tens of thousands of members registered here on FT (and hundreds of thousands who lurk each month) and only a handful of people are our problem childs. I will not be the one that crys'Fire' in the theatre when only two people light a cigarete.

I would ask that this community continue to stay on topic and each share in their roles as members to give and take.

I hope I have answered your question of what is being done. As for the line: don't flame or be drawn into reacting to a flame and we will never have a 'chat'. Best advice of all: Talk travel and remember what your Mother taught you - play nice with others.

Randy-

Thanks for choosing to articulate your position on this pesky issue. Hope it helps.

Thanks Randy...

Look forward to your "State of Flyertalk" presentation.

William

Thank you Randy...

Again, as always, thank you very much for the provision of these boards and for your unending efforts to maintain FT! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks for the effort, Randy. Just one thought. Publically "outing" the culprits might (1) serve as a deterrent and (2) give the rest of us confidence that the problem posters are being addressed.

I would also offer that publicly outing who's been suspended might not be a bad idea. If people want privacy, then they should behave.

At a club I belong to it is posted by the coat check who is behind in their dues/charges. It does not take long for those people to get their check book out and their names off that list! ...

How about a reasonable compromise.

'Outing' after the 2nd time out.

This gives a poster the benefit of the doubt as a 1st time offender, but cracks down on repeat offenders.

Sinnce credibility (or perceptions thereof) are a key determinant to how effective posters can be, 'outing' seems to be a credible deterrent.

Obviously, goal is prevention, not punishment.

Good luck.

it's amazing to me how much baseball, consciously or unconsiously, seems to permeate the American psyche...

three strikes, your out http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Randy,

As a long time time "lurker," and infrequent poster to FT, I came this folder for the first time to specifically complain about the recent rash of trash talking on the boards. I am happy to see that the situation has already been addressed.

IMHO - some of these people should be banned.

Thanks again for all you do

hreamer

Thank you, Randy. To paraphrase Goethe, "More light {. . . and less heat}"

Someone just emailed me, referring me to Randy's post above, and berated me for not 'copping it sweet'. For the public record I agreed entirely with Randy's actions, posted here a week or more back that I agreed, and advised Randy by return I had no problem at all with any of it, and apologised that these flames etc had intruded into his busy schedule. So whomever "argued the toss" about his decision, whether this week or last, it was NOT oztamps. And also for the record Randy took that action before a couple of well known FT'ers said goodbye, which I do not feel is widely understood or appreciated by most.

I feel "naming names" is not anyone else's business here. A quick "search" by user name for last 5 days in their "home" Forum will readily pinpoint predictable absentees to the overly curious. It is hardly rocket science.

This figure from Randy really amazes me: "some 900+ members with roughly 2814 total multiple user names". None of those were or are me, so on top of the seperate email address user names that myself and a number of others fessed up to in 2000, the problem is far larger than anyone here ever imagined I suspect.

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~ Glen ~

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 03-13-2001).]

Randy, a very nice, informative post.

I only have one request: Make sure that ALL FTers get your State of FT address. I've yet to receive any of the to-all-FT e-mails.

Thanks,
Matt

motnot: In one's FT profile, there is a check box for "Allow administrators to send you e-mail". This option must be enabled in order to receive these "to all FTers" messages. In any case I believe that these e-mails are also posted as official FT announcements (or at least they should be!).

FewMiles..

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FlyerTalkers' Resources on the Web: http://home.webflyer.com/fewmiles/
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oneworld comparison chart 2001: coming soon

[edited for spelling mistakes]

[This message has been edited by FewMiles (edited 03-14-2001).]